Drinking-fountain for poultry.



F. ENDS, JR. DRINKING FOUNTAINHFOR POULTRY. APPLICATION man IAN-4. 19x5.

6 2 b G 0 d e t H m a P an ill.

FRANK ENDS, JR-., 0F NORWICH, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE NORWICH AUTU-IVIATIC FEEDER COMPANY, OF NORWICH,

CONNECTICUT.

CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 2e, 1915.

Original application filed August 12, 1914, Serial No. 856,465. Dividedand this application filed January To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, FRANK Enos, Jr., a citizen of the United States,residing at Norwich, county of New London, State ofConnecticut, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in" Drinking-Fountains forPoultry; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and eXactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements indrinking fountains for poultry, and relates more particularly to afountain of the type in which a lower heater device acts as the supportfor the upper reservoir in which latter the water is kept and maintainedwarm by the heater so as to prevent freezing in cold weather.

The present invention is a division of an application filed August 12,1914, SerialNo. 856,465.

The primary object of the invention is to provide means whereby thereservoir may be easily and quickly removed from and applied to theheating means, and more specifically to provide means whereby the reservoir will be automatically locked to the heating means when thereservoir is placed in proper position on top of the heating means.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of the invention; Fig. 2is an enlarged detail view, partly in section of the gravity hooks andFig. 3 is a fragmentary rear elevation showing two of the latches.

The heater structure which forms the base for the fountain is designated1 in the drawings, and receives thereon the reservoir 2, the latterhaving a groove 3 in its bottom to conformably receive the annular topedge 4 of the heater 1. A preferably circular flange 5 is secured to theheater 1, in any suitable manner, as by riveting at 6 and extendsoutwardly beyond the periphery of the reservoir 2.

A plurality of latches or hooks of the gravity type indicated at 7 arepivoted at 8 to ears 9 provided on the reservoir 2, the free lower endsof the latches being formed Serial No. 440.

so as to engage beneath the flange 5, the latches having their free endscurved at 10 so that in placing the reservoir on top of the heater thecurved portions of the latches will ride on the flange 5 and then by theaction of gravity move to engage beneath the flange 5, thusautomatically locking the reservoir to the heater.

The lower end portions of the latches are prevented from moving too farinwardly toward the reservoir, by the rib 11 on the base of thereservoir, so that when the reservoir is placed on the heater, thecurved ends of the latches will overlie the flange 5 and willimmediately engage the latter as soon as the reservoir is moved down ontop of the heater. By providing a circular flange 5, it will be apparentthat the reservoir can be placed on. top of the heater at any point onthe latter, that is to say no special alinement is necessary, save thatof eifecting register of groove 3 with the edge 4 of the heater, and inaddition after the hooks or latches have been engaged with the flange 5,the heater and reservoir can be relatively ro tated if desired withoutnecessitating dis- F engagement of the reservoir from the heater.

7 l/Vhat is claimed is:

In combination with a water tank, a heater casing having a peripheralflange, said tank having a peripheral rib, a plurality of gravityoperatedlatches having their upper ends pivotally connected to the tankabove the rib so as to have their movement toward the tank restricted byengagement with the rib, the free ends of said latches being curved,said latches being adapted to swing by gravity into engagement with therib and to disengage said rib upon engagement of the curved free endsthereof with the flange, whereby said latches successively andautomatically disengage and engage the rib and flange, respectively whenthe tank is placed upon the heater.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

FRANK ENCS, JR. Witnesses:

H. H. WALKER, E. J. CAMPBELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

. Washington, D. 0.

